At the Caspian Environmental Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined a Russian proposal to create a digital twin of the Caspian Sea and invited partners to join in its implementation. The summit is taking place at the Awaza National Tourist Zone on the eastern coast of the Caspian, RIA reports.

According to Putin, this is a high-precision virtual model utilizing artificial intelligence algorithms. It will analyze the dynamics of evaporation, precipitation, and river runoff to calculate scenarios for changes in the Caspian Sea level. This data will also help refine navigation routes and enhance maritime safety. The President invited CIS countries to participate in the initiative.

Putin Discusses Initiative to Create a Digital Twin of the Caspian Sea – Vedomosti +2

Putin identified the receding water level of the Caspian Sea as one of the region's most acute problems. According to Russian estimates, approximately 20 thousand square kilometers of coastal territory—in the Russian sector of the Caspian alone—have dried up over the past 20 years. According to the Russian side, sea level is falling by an average of 9 cm per year. “Continuing the current rate of sea level change has a range of detrimental environmental consequences,” he said.

Putin noted that the drop in water levels harms the fishing industry, leads to a depletion of biological resources and the erosion of coastal soils, and reduces the investment appeal of Trans-Caspian logistics corridors. He cited climate change as the primary reason and added that Russia has to allocate significant budget funds annually for dredging operations to ensure navigability.

In addition, the Russian government is preparing a comprehensive program to study Caspian Sea level fluctuations through 2030, the results of which Moscow intends to share with its partners.

The first Caspian Environmental Summit took place on October 9, chaired by the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Leaders from Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Russia participated in the event. A decision by the heads of state was adopted following the meeting. The day before, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov announced that the issue of the Caspian Sea’s receding water levels would be one of the topics at the summit, noting that the sea level fluctuates cyclically.